Improvement in bank-checks



F. W. lsRooKs.4v BANK CHECKS, &c.

Nb. 193,221. Patented Ju1y17,1s77.

ovaqooona ossea...

Llll.

, UNITED FRANKLIN W. BROOKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFHIS RIGHT TO WILLIAM FULLERTON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BANK-CHECKS, ac.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent hlm-193,221, dated July 17,1877; application filed JunelS, 1877. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN W. BROOKS, of the city of New York, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Bank-Checks and other Commercial Paper, of which the following is aspecification:

This invention consists in blanks for bankchecks and other commercialpaper, protected in peculiar manner against counterfeiting, and in anovel and superior method of treatin gl such commercial paper so as toprevent surreptitiously altering it or raising the value thereof, ashereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 of the accompanyingdrawings is a face view of apartially-finished bank-check blank illustrating this invention. Fig. 2is a face view of the same at a subsequent stage of its manufacture.Eig. 3 is a face view of the check as it appears after being` filled upVand severed. Fig. 4 represents a perspective rear view of a magnifiedportion of the check as it would appear if divided longitudinally on theline 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a face view of an improved draft-blank, andFig. 6, a face view of a severed bank-coupon illustratingcertainmodiflcations. Fig. 7 illustrates, by a face view, a detachedprotection-stamp -of a kind that may be manufactured and sold ready foruse on checks of common form. Fig. 7 X is a back view of the same. Fig.7 fx is a side view thereof. Fig. 8 is a view of a protection-stamp ofmodified construction for the same purpose. Figs. 9 and 9x are,respectively, a front and rear view of another modication in stamps forthe same purpose. Figs. l0 and 10 are a front and rear view of anothermodification. Fig. 11 is another modiflcation. Fig. l1x is a rearperspective view of the same.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The illustrative check-blank B, Figs. 1 and l 2, has two coupons, C C2,and is provided, in

addition to the ordinary number a, with a detective number, b, whichisduplicated on thesecond coupon, C2, and concealed on the check-blankby a covering flap or seal, s. rlhe d ordinary number a is duplicated onboth coupons, and is thus asseciated with the detective number bon'the-checkblank B and the.

coupon U22 The latter is termed the bankcoupon,77 and is intended to beretained by the bank which issues the check-blank. The coupon O is theordinary stub-coupon, to which the check-blank remains attached untilit' is used. The detective number remains concealed upon thecheck-blankuntil the checkis presented at the bank for payment.

4The number is then exposed, and compared with the number upon thecoupon G2, Whose ordinary number, a, corresponds with that of .thecheck. If the detective numbers are alike,

and the signature appears to be that of the depositor to whom thecorrespondingly-number-ed blank was issued, the check may, very safely,be taken as genuine, for no one outside of the bank is .supposed to knowof the detective numbers belonging to the checks of any particulardepositor, and this knowledge may be confined to the payingteller; andit would be practically impossible to duplicate the blank of a destroyedcheck in a sufficiently short time to use it without detection. Anyydiscrepancy in the order of th-e reception ofthe check, or anyindication of tampering or counterfeiting on its face would of coursestop its payment.

The seal s is securely cemented down by -adhesive gum, made, as nearlyas possible, in-

soluble in Water or steam. To facilitate exposing the detective numberby destroying the seal, an ungummed removable portion of the latter isdefined by perforation, and one end is provided with an ungummed creaseor fold, c, Fig. 4, which is so formed that the lines in Fig. 1. Toinsure the detection of I any' tampering with the seal on any check, apicture or design, c, is printed over and upon the seal and theadjoining surface; and, to still further increase the security, thispicture or design is printed in a fugitive ink, which will dissolve orsoften very quickly upon the application of the least degree ofmoisture, so as to penetrate the perforations in the seal, and smearwhen touched, thus insuring .the defacement of the seal or check, orboth, if -any attempt is made to ascertain in this way what is thedetective number.

The mode of manufacture illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3 is as follows:Sheets of .any preferred size, and lof ordinary or other approved paper,are first printed with the stars d, and,

if desired, with any other matter for the backs of a sheet of checks.The black lettering, &c.. on the face of the checks and coupons may thenbe printed, the ornamental border and the vignettes or other pictures ordesigns with which the checks are to be embellished being omitted. Theordinary numbers a a a are next printed by means of a numbering-machine.The detective numbers b b are also printed at this stage, and preferablywith a light-colored ink, so as to facilitate hiding them completely.The starsd will show through enough to locate the numbers on the checks.Flaps of proper size are next cut from stock provided between the checksB and the coupons (J2, and it may be simultaneously.- These iiaps areperforated, as shown. The coupons C2 and the scrap-paper may also becompletely sevvered on the lines j' f2 at the same operation. The flapsare next creased and gummed to form the seals s, which brings the wholeto the condition represented in Fig. l. The seals s are next folded overthe detective numbers b, and cemented down, and the sheets go to thepress again. The ordinary vignette or other design g andthe ornamentalborder h are now printed on the face of each checkblank, the borderscrossing the seals s, so as to present a uniform appearance. Thiscompletes the blanks to the extent illustrated in Fig. 2. While theblanks are still in the sheet, preferably, they are passed through thepress once more, and the safety picture or design e, Fig. 3, is printedin a fugitive ink, as aforesaid, over and upon such seal. The coupons G2being now or previously severed,l are bound in books with theircheck-numbers a as paging, and the check-blanks B, with their attachedcoupons G, are likewise bound, as heretofore.

In the case of blank checks like those represented, or checks furnishedto private parties by printers, the check-books and detectivecoupon-books may be sold together, the latter to be left with `the bankin which the owner may be for the time being a depositor. Ordinarily thecheck-books will be issued by the banks to which the checks areaddressed, and the detective coupons will be retained by the banks, asbefore stated.

The application of a detective number, b2, to drafts and othercommercial paper besides bank-checks, is illustrated in Fig. 5. In thisease the number b2 is repeated on the stub coupon G3, and may becommunicated by letter or otherwise to the drawee; but the device inthis modification is designed chiey for the safety of `the drawer.tective number may be applied to a bankcheck blank for this same purposein connection with one for the safety of the bank.

Fig. 5 illustrates also certain modifications in the form of the seals2, by which the detective number is concealed, and in the means forreadily exposing the detective number.

The seal in this case is in the form of a stamp wholly attached by.cement, which is confined to three edges, and it is provided with astrip or ribbon or tape, i, projecting at the open end, so that by meansof it the ungummed portion of the seal can be quickly removed. The innerend of the strip i is held by the gum which attaches the seal. In thestamp form the seal may be made of very thin and easilysoiled paper orother material. The opening strip is not confined to this form ofseal,but is equally applicable to the Hap form.`

'lo provide for using the same numbers repeatedly, the books of checksor drafts and coupons may be numbered or lettered in series, and othersupplemental matter may be added to the coupons, if` desired, asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

A detective letter or device may be ernployed in lieu of a detectivenumber, if desired, and any other dark or opaque figure may take theplace of the black star d.

To prevent altering or raising the value of a check or other paper, thedevice is a picture or design, j, Fig. 3, which may be of the mostsimple form, printed over and upon the Words or figures to be protected,after the latter are written, and in a fugitive ink, rwhich willdissolve or soften so as to run and smear upon the least application o'fmoisture. This forms at once a surface on which it is impossible towrite, and a means for detecting any attempt to remove the ink of theoriginal writing.

The design j will be printed by a handstamp, and the safety picture ordesign e may be printed in the saine way in some instances, as in thecase of private drafts.

Figs. 7 to l1, inclusive, illustrate various modes of embodying theinvention in the form of detached detective-stamps, which may be sold byStationers ready for application to checks or drafts. [n Figs. 7, 7 and7 x x, which are dierent views of one and the same stamp, k k1 are twoflaps or leaves of a singlefolded piece of paper, and k2 a coupon orstub bearing a detective number or character corresponding with that onthe main stamp k, (as, for example, 80,) and also a serial numbercorresponding with that of the check or draft with which it is to beused. The particular detective numbers or characters for the respectiveand successive checks having been determined by the depositor, heaflixes corresponding numbers or characters to the coupon k2, and thelatter are deposited with the banker, who keeps them in a book or inother conven- A supplemental de- Y ient way for use in proving thegenuineness ofthe checks as they come in. The various detachable stampsare provided with the dark marks d, to prevent the discovery of thedetective number by looking through the paper, and also with charactersk3, in fugitive ink, to prevent or detect any surreptitions attempt toremove the stamps, or these marks in fugitive ink may be stamped onafter the detectivestamp is applied.

Perforations are formed, as shown, around the portion of the flap k1,which is to be removed When the check is presented for payment.

Fig. 8 represents a similar stamp with a protectingshield, k, ofimpervious paper, which covers the fugitive ink character k3, so as toprevent the defacement of the latter While sticking the stamp or inprevious handling.v This impervious covering is stripped o directlyafter the stamp is applied.

Figs. 9 and 9x are front and rear views of a detachable stamp, to carryon its inner face the amount of a check, so as to prevent raising. Theamount being Written on the under face, the stamp, by cement around itsmargin, is stuckon the face of the check, from Which itis readily tornby the paying-teller for inspection. The stamp has a device, 7c3, infugitive ink, stamped on its face to prevent tampering, and 'has theimpervious shield k4 to A protect the same.

In both Figs. 8 and 9 the impervious shield is shown as if partly tornaway.

Figs. 10 and 10X show a stamp slightlyr modied in form from that shownin Figs. 9 and 9".

Figs. 11 and 1lx show the front and rear of a more simple stamp, havingthe amount in a concealed ap, 765, on the back, and the fugitive inkprotective character k3 on the face.

The following is what I claim. as my invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, namely:

1. A blank for bank-checks or other commercial paper, provided with adetective number, letter, or device, concealed by a seal flap or cover,having a portion above the number defined by perforations, and providedwith an open crease or fold at one end to facilitate its removal.

2. A blank for bank-checks or other commercial paper, provided with aseal covering a detective number, letter, or device, and with a star orother ligure printed on the back of the check to render it opaque at thepoint where the detective number is applied, and assist in concealingthe same. K

3. A blank for bank-checks or other commercial paper, having a cementedseal flap or .cover concealing a detective number, letter,

or device, and provided with a superimposed picture or design, infugitive ink, to expose any tampering therewith.

4. A bankcheck or other commercial paper, having a concealed detectivenumber, letter, or device for determining its genuineness, and providedwith pictures or designs, printed in fugitive ink, over and upon theseal which covers said number, letter, or device, and the adjoiningsurface, and also over and upon the words or figures necessary to beprotected to prevent altering said paper to increase its value.

FRANKLIN W. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

JAs. L. EWIN, IsIDoR GRAYHEAD.

